Time definition
A system of measuring duration.
Solar time, standard time.
noun
A continuous, measurable quantity in which events occur in a sequence proceeding from the past through the present to the future.
A suitable or opportune moment or season.
A time for taking stock of one's life.
noun
To record the speed or duration of.
Time a runner.
verb
An appointed or fated moment, especially of death or giving birth.
He died before his time. Her time is near.
noun
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The meter of a musical pattern.
Three-quarter time.
noun
(drama) One of the three unities.
noun
(sports) Used to signify that a period of play or activity has ended or that play is temporarily suspended.
interjection
To adjust so that a force is applied or an action occurs at the desired time.
Timed his swing so as to hit the ball squarely.
verb
To adjust to keep accurate time.
verb
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Of, relating to, or measuring time.
adjective
Indefinite, unlimited duration in which things are considered as happening in the past, present, or future; every moment there has ever been or ever will be.
noun
Designating or of any of a series of payments made or to be made over a period of time.
A time payment.
adjective
Time is defined as the duration in which all things happen, or a precise instant that something happens.
An example of time is the Renaissance era.
An example of time is breakfast at eight o'clock in the morning.
An example of time is a date at noon next Saturday.
noun
The rate of speed of a measured activity.
Marching in double time.
noun
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An interval separating two points on this continuum; a duration.
A long time since the last war; passed the time reading.
noun
A number, as of years, days, or minutes, representing such an interval.
Ran the course in a time just under four minutes.
noun
Periods or a period designated for a given activity.
Harvest time; time for bed.
noun
Constructed so as to operate at a particular moment.
A time release.
adjective
Having to do with time.
adjective
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The period during which a radio or television program or commercial is broadcast.
noun
(chiefly british) The hour at which a pub closes.
noun
A nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future.
noun
A similar number representing a specific point on this continuum, reckoned in hours and minutes.
Checked her watch and recorded the time, 6:17 am .
noun
An interval, especially a span of years, marked by similar events, conditions, or phenomena; an era.
Hard times; a time of troubles.
noun
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The present with respect to prevailing conditions and trends.
You must change with the times.
noun
Periods or a period necessary or available for a given activity.
I have no time for golf.
noun
A period at one's disposal.
Do you have time for a chat?
noun
The usual, natural, traditional, or appointed moment for something to happen, begin, or end [time to get up]
- The moment of death.His time is close at hand.
- The end of a period of pregnancy; moment of giving birth.Her time had come.
- One's turn at something.A time at bat.
noun
The grouping of rhythmic beats into measures of equal length.
noun
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The rate of speed at which a composition or passage is played; tempo.
noun
(loosely) The rhythm and tempo characteristic of a kind of composition.
Waltz time, march time.
noun
The duration of a note or rest.
noun
An interval separating two points of this quantity; a duration.
(sports) A time-out.
noun
A system by which such intervals are measured or such numbers are reckoned.
Solar time.
noun
One of several instances.
Knocked three times; addressed Congress for the last time before retirement.
noun
Used to indicate the number of instances by which something is multiplied or divided.
This tree is three times taller than that one. My library is many times smaller than hers.
noun
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One's lifetime.
noun
One's period of greatest activity or engagement.
noun
A person's experience during a specific period or on a certain occasion.
Had a good time at the party.
noun
A period of military service.
noun
A period of apprenticeship.
noun
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(informal) A prison sentence.
noun
The customary period of work.
Hired for full time.
noun
The period spent working.
noun
The hourly pay rate.
Earned double time on Sundays.
noun
The rate of speed at which a piece of music is played; the tempo.
noun
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The point at which something has happened, is happening, or will happen; occasion.
Game time is two o'clock.
noun
The suitable, proper, favorable, or convenient moment.
Now is the time to act.
noun
The entire period of existence of the known universe; finite duration, as distinguished from infinity.
noun
The entire period of existence of the world or of humanity; earthly duration, as distinguished from eternity.
noun
A period characterized by a prevailing condition or specific experience.
A time of peace, have a good time.
noun
The prevailing conditions of a particular period.
The times were difficult.
noun
The period regularly worked or to be worked by an employee.
noun
The hourly rate of pay for the regular working hours.
noun
The characteristic rhythm of a piece of music in terms of this grouping, indicated by the time signature.
noun
A system or reference frame in which such intervals are measured or such quantities are calculated.
A measure of continuity, or duration.
noun
A certain point in a given duration when something is said to have occurred.
noun
The period of incarceration of a convicted criminal. See also reasonable time.
noun
A duration of time.
- (uncountable) A quantity of availability of duration.More time is needed to complete the project. You had plenty of time, but you waited until the last minute. Are you finished yet? Time's up!.
- (countable) A measurement of a quantity of time; a numerical or general indication of a length of progression.A long time; Record the individual times for the processes in each batch. Only your best time is compared with the other competitors. The algorithm runs in O(n2) time.
- (uncountable, slang) The serving of a prison sentence.The judge leniently granted a sentence with no hard time. He is not living at home because he is doing time.
- (countable) An experience.We had a wonderful time at the party.
- (countable) An era; (with the, sometimes in plural) the current era, the current state of affairs.Roman times; the time of the dinosaurs.
- (uncountable, with possessive) A person's youth or young adulthood, as opposed to the present day.In my time, we respected our elders.
- (only in singular, sports and figuratively) Time out; temporary, limited suspension of play.
noun
An instant of time.
- (uncountable) How much of a day has passed; the moment, as indicated by a clock or similar device.Excuse me, have you got the time? What time is it, do you guess? Ten o'clock? A computer keeps time using a clock battery.
- (countable) A particular moment or hour; the appropriate moment or hour for something (especially with prepositional phrase or imperfect subjunctive).It's time for bed; it's time to sleep; we must wait for the right time; it's time we were going.
- (countable) A numerical indication of a particular moment.At what times do the trains arrive?; these times were erroneously converted between zones.
- (countable) An instance or occurrence.When was the last time we went out? I don't remember.See you another time; that's three times he's made the same mistake.Okay, but this is the last time. No more after that!.
- (UK, of pubs) Closing time.Last call: it's almost time.
- The hour of childbirth.
noun
(countable) The measurement under some system of region of day or moment.
Let's synchronize our watches so we're not on different time.
noun
(countable) Ratio of comparison.
Your car runs three times faster than mine; that is four times as heavy as this.
noun
To measure or record the time, duration, or rate of.
I used a stopwatch to time myself running around the block.
verb
To choose when something begins or how long it lasts.
The President timed his speech badly, coinciding with the Super Bowl.
The bomb was timed to explode at 9:20 p.m.
verb
To regulate as to time; to accompany, or agree with, in time of movement.
verb
To set or maintain the tempo, speed, or duration of.
Time a manufacturing process.
verb
Of or relating to installment buying.
Time payments.
adjective
A period of duration set or thought of as set.
- A period of existence; lifetime.His time is almost over.
- A term of apprenticeship.
- A term of imprisonment.
- A term of military service.
- (obs.) A period of indenture.
noun
To arrange or set the time of so as to be acceptable, suitable, opportune, etc.
To time an invasion.
verb
Payable on a future date or dates.
adjective
To speculate based on the anticipated short-term performance of (a market).
Time the stock market.
verb
The specific, usual, or allotted period during which something is done.
The runner's time was 1.47 minutes; baking time, 20 minutes.
noun
Any one of a series of moments at which the same or nearly the same thing recurs; repeated occasion.
Told for the fifth time, time and time again.
noun
The period between two events or during which something exists, happens, or acts; measured or measurable interval.
noun
Any period in the history of humanity or of the universe, often specif. with reference to a characteristic social structure, set of customs, famous person living then, etc.
Prehistoric times, medieval times, geologic time, Lincoln's time.
noun
A period or periods necessary, sufficient, or available for something.
No time for play, to take some time to relax.
noun
Rate of speed in marching, driving, working, etc.
Quick time, double time.
noun
(prosody) A unit of quantitative meter; esp., a mora, or short syllable.
noun
A precise instant, second, minute, hour, day, week, month, or year, determined by clock or calendar; specif., the present instant, determined by clock.
Do you know the time?
noun
To adjust, set, play, etc. so as to coincide in time with something else.
To time one's watch with another's.
verb
To regulate (a mechanism) for a given speed or length of operation.
verb
To set the duration of (a syllable or musical note) as a unit of rhythm.
verb
To calculate or record the pace, speed, finishing time, etc. of; clock.
To time a runner.
verb
(rare) To move in time; keep time.
verb
Set or regulated so as to explode, open, etc. at a given time.
A time bomb.
adjective
Payable later or on a specified future date.
A time loan.
adjective
To set the time for (an event or occasion).
verb
against time
- With a quickly approaching time limit:Worked against time to deliver the manuscript before the deadline.
idiom
any time
- Used to acknowledge an expression of gratitude.
idiom
at one time
- Simultaneously.
- At a period or moment in the past.
idiom
at the same time
- However; nonetheless.
idiom
at times
- On occasion; sometimes.
idiom
behind the times
- Out-of-date; old-fashioned.
idiom
for the time being
- Temporarily.
idiom
from time to time
- Once in a while; at intervals.
idiom
high time
- The appropriate or urgent time:It's high time that you started working.
idiom
in good time
- In a reasonable length of time.
- When or before due.
- Quickly.
idiom
in no time
- Almost instantly; immediately.
idiom
in time
- Before a time limit expires.
- Within an indefinite time; eventually:In time they came to accept the harsh facts.
idiom
on time
- According to schedule; punctual or punctually.
- By paying in installments.
idiom
time after time
- Again and again; repeatedly.
idiom
time and again
- Again and again; repeatedly.
idiom
time of (one's) life
- A highly pleasurable experience:We had the time of our lives at the beach.
idiom
time on (one's) hands
- An interval with nothing to do.
idiom
time was
- There was once a time:
idiom
about time
- a phrase used to convey that something that has happened was overdue
idiom
abreast of the times
- up-to-date, as in ideas, fashions, etc.; modern
- informed about current matters
idiom
against time
- in an effort to finish in a given time
idiom
ahead of time
- sooner than due; early
idiom
all the time
- often, regularly, or constantly
idiom
at one time
- simultaneously
- formerly
idiom
at the same time
- simultaneously; in the same period
- nonetheless; however
idiom
at times
- occasionally; sometimes
idiom
behind the times
- out-of-date; old-fashioned
idiom
behind time
- late
idiom
between times
- at intervals, as between other events or actions
idiom
do time
- to serve a prison term
idiom
for the time being
- for the present; temporarily
idiom
from time to time
- at intervals; now and then
idiom
gain time
- to go too fast
- to prolong a situation until a desired occurrence can take place
idiom
in good time
- at the proper time
- in a creditably short time; quickly
idiom
in no time
- almost instantly; very quickly
idiom
in time
- in the course of time; eventually
- before it is too late
- keeping the set rhythm, tempo, pace, etc.
idiom
keep good (or bad, etc.) time
- to register the elapsing of time or adhere to a meter in an accurate (or inaccurate, etc.) mannerA clock, drummer, etc. that keeps good time.
idiom
keep time
- to maintain a set rhythm, beat, tempo, etc.The drummers kept time for the marching band.
- to mark or note the elapsing of timeA referee assigned to keep time.
idiom
lose no time
- to act or respond promptlyThe ambulance lost no time in getting here.
idiom
lose time
- to go too slow
- to let time go by without advancing one's objective
idiom
make time
- to compensate for lost time by going faster
- to travel, work, etc. at a specified, esp. fast, rate of speedWe made (good) time between Boston and Albany.
idiom
make time with
- to succeed in attracting or having an affair with (a person)
idiom
many a time
- often; frequently
idiom
not give someone the time of day
- to refuse to speak to or be polite to someone
idiom
on one's own time
- during time for which one is not paid; during other than working hours
idiom
on time
- at the appointed time; punctual or punctually
- with the agreement that payment will be made in installments over a period of time
idiom
out of time
- not at the usual time; unseasonable
- not keeping the set rhythm, tempo, pace, etc.
- with all allotted or available time having elapsed
idiom
pass the time
- to fill a span of time, as with some pleasant diversion
idiom
pass the time of day
- to exchange a few words of greeting, etc.
idiom
(have) the time of one's life
- (have) an experience of great pleasure
idiom
time after time
- again and again; continually
idiom
time is money
- a proverb meaning that delay and inefficiency are equivalent to a monetary loss
idiom
time of life
- age (of a person)
idiom
time on one's hands
- an interval with nothing to do
idiom
time was
- there was a time
idiom
time will tell
- a proverb meaning that some time will pass before an outcome or result is known or confirmed
idiom
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
time of (one's) life
time on (one's) hands
abreast of the times
between times
gain time
keep good (<i>or</i> bad<i>, etc.</i>) time
lose no time
make time with
many a time
on one's own time
time of life
time on one's hands
Origin of time
- Middle English from Old English tīma dā- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English time, tyme, from Old English tÄ«ma (“time, period, space of time, season, lifetime, fixed time, favorable time, opportunity"), from Proto-Germanic *tÄ«mô (“time"), from Proto-Indo-European *dÄ«- (“time"). Cognate with Scots tym, tyme (“time"), Alemannic German Zimen, ZÄ«mmän (“time, time of the year, opportune time, opportunity"), Danish time (“stound, hour, lesson"), Swedish timme (“stound, hour"), Norwegian time (“time, stound, hour"), Faroese tími (“hour, lesson, time"), Icelandic tími (“time, season"). See also tide.
From Wiktionary